Swan Prevails as Hansen Fails Post Race Tech

(Sun Prairie, WI) The Midwest Truck Series returned to action on Saturday night at the Jefferson Speedway for the Nora’s Tavern 50. A stout field of 24 Trucks were on hand and Eugene Gregorich III took fast time honors with a lap of 14.317. Preliminary action saw Tyler Noble, Tristan Swanson, and Russ Hansen picking up wins in the heat races. A last chance race was necessary to narrow the field down to 20 trucks for the feature race with Chester Ace coming out with the win.

The 50 lap feature presented by Nora’s Tavern was led to green by Chris Blawat and Russ Hansen. Blawat would take the early lead from his pole starting position. Lap 4 saw Hansen take the lead from Blawat in turn 1 and a few short laps later, we saw the first caution of the race as contact was made between Blawat and Cody Houseweart. However, under the gentlemen’s agreement Blawat tapped out allowing Houseweart to take back the second position. On the restart Hansen took the lead for a few laps before James Swan took it from him on lap 9. The field was able to string themselves out as the top 5 remained the same for the next 12 laps until another yellow flag came. When the field went back to green Swan led the pack but a lap later the caution came out yet again. Swan led the field to green before another lead change to John Ovadal Jr. Ovadal Jr. would lead the field back to green and remained the leader until another caution came out on lap 36, this time for Chester Ace going around in turn 2. On lap 38 Hansen would slip by Ovadal to take back the lead. As the theme of the night is cautions, another yellow flag came out on lap 40 which caused Ovadal to retire to the pits. On the restart Hansen took control and survived a final late race caution with 3 to go to cross the line first with Swan following in second and Kenny Joosten third. Kody Hubred and Bryce Miller rounded out the top 5. Hansen’s win was short lived as he failed post race tech inspection for non-compliant valve springs in the engine thus handing the win to Swan. This brought rookie Tristan Swanson into fifth from his 16th starting position to earn honors of hard charger.

Up next the Midwest Truck Series rolls into Wisconsin International Raceway on Tuesday, August 3rd for the Belgard Paves the Way Dixieland Delight 35. For more information check us out on Facebook at Midwest Truck Series.

- Alexander Gilhart (Midwest Truck Series Media)